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Burkina Faso
(information)
Population as of 2020: 21.5 million 57 of 193
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Region: North Africa
Nominal G.D.P. in 2024: $23.25 billion 123 of 193
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Top Exports
Total exports: **~$5.6–6.6 billion (2024)** **Extremely concentrated economy:** gold alone accounts for **~80%+ of exports** | Rank | Export Category | Notes | | ---- | ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **Gems & precious metals (gold)** ⭐ | ~80–82% of exports; overwhelmingly dominant | | 2 | **Cotton** | ~5–6%; main agricultural export | | 3 | **Fruits & nuts (cashews, mangoes)** | Growing agro-export | | 4 | **Oil seeds (sesame, others)** | Important agricultural export | | 5 | **Salt, sulphur, cement & stone** | Industrial materials | | 6 | **Mineral fuels (refined petroleum)** | Small but rising export | | 7 | **Machinery & equipment** | Minor export sector | | 8 | **Animal/vegetable oils** | Includes shea butter and oils | | 9 | **Vegetables** | Regional agricultural trade | | 10 | **Vehicles** | Small re-export/industrial goods | Key individual export products (by value) | Rank | Product | Notes | | ---- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | | 11 | **Unwrought gold** | #1 export (~80%+ alone) | | 12 | **Raw cotton (not carded/combed)** | Major cash crop | | 13 | **Cashew nuts (in shell)** | Leading non-cotton agricultural export | | 14 | **Sesame seeds** | Key oilseed export | | 15 | **Portland cement** | Industrial export | | 16 | **Refined petroleum products** | Small but growing | | 17 | **Mangoes & tropical fruits** | Regional export | | 18 | **Vegetable oils (shea, others)** | Agricultural processing | | 19 | **Tomatoes (fresh)** | Regional food export | | 20 | **Livestock (sheep/goats)** | Traditional export | Key Takeaways * 🥇 **Gold dominates overwhelmingly** * Around **80%+ of total export value** comes from gold * 🌱 **Agriculture is the second pillar** * Cotton, cashews, and sesame are the main non-mineral exports * ⚠️ **Extreme concentration risk** * Top 2 exports (gold + cotton) make up **~85%+ of exports** * 🌍 **Limited industrial base** * Manufacturing exports (machinery, vehicles) are very small * 🌾 **Regional food trade exists** * Vegetables, livestock, and fruits are exported mainly within West Africa Top Importers of Burkina Faso’s Exports (2024) | Rank | Country | Notes | | ---- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | | 1 | **Switzerland** | By far the largest buyer; gold refining hub. | | 2 | **United Arab Emirates** | Gold trading and refining center. | | 3 | **India** | Gold and some agricultural products. | | 4 | **South Africa** | Gold and regional trade links. | | 5 | **China** | Gold and raw materials. | | 6 | **Turkey** | Gold and agricultural imports. | | 7 | **France** | Agricultural products and historical trade ties. | | 8 | **Netherlands** | EU trade hub; agricultural imports. | | 9 | **Ghana** | Regional trade; food and goods. | | 10 | **Mali** | Cross-border regional trade. | Key Patterns * 🪙 **Gold drives everything** * Countries like **Switzerland, UAE, and India** dominate because of **gold refining and trading** * 🌍 **Global commodity hubs are central** * Switzerland and UAE act as **key intermediaries in global gold markets** * 🌱 **Agriculture shapes secondary trade** * Cotton, sesame, and cashews go to **Europe, Asia, and regional markets** * 🌍 **Regional West African trade exists** * Neighboring countries like **Ghana and Mali** import food and basic goods
